The silence following the battle was thick and heavy, as if the air had taken on a weight of its own, pressing down on the small group in the narrow passageway. Valen leaned back against the cold stone wall, feeling the remnants of his Void Essence flickering within him. The Black Vow's agents had been relentless, but they had fallen—or retreated, defeated for now. But their leader's final words gnawed at him, a reminder that his path was shadowed by forces he didn't fully understand.
Aylara knelt beside Kael, examining the deep gash on his shoulder. "Hold still," she murmured, her voice low but soothing as she summoned a warm, pulsing light in her palm. She pressed it gently to his wound, and the magic began to mend the torn flesh. Kael winced but stayed silent, his gaze distant as he watched the healing light.
